Rubber compositions and articles thereof having improved metal adhesion and metal adhesion retention

Abstract

Vulcanizable rubber compositions and articles such as tires having improved metal adhesion and metal adhesion retention to brass and brass-plated metallic reinforcement. The improvement comprises substituting at least about 10.0 parts by weight of a halogenated rubber for non-halogenated rubber present in the vulcanizable rubber composition. The non-halogenated rubber can be natural or synthetic or blends thereof. A method for improving the metal adhesion and metal adhesion retention between a vulcanizable rubber and brass or brass-plated metallic reinforcement includes the steps of blending at least about 10.0 parts by weight of a halogenated rubber with up to about 90.0 parts by weight of a vulcanizable rubber essentially free of other halogenated rubber and curing the blend of rubbers with the brass or brass-plated metallic reinforcement embedded therein.

We claim: 
     
       1. A brass or brass-plated metallic reinforced vulcanizable rubber composition suitable for rubber plies essentially free of transition metal adhesion promoting additives having improved metal adhesion and metal adhesion retention properties with brass and brass-plated reinforcing elements, wherein the improvement comprises: substituting at least about 10.0 parts by weight of a halogenated rubber for the rubber present in said vulcanizable composition so as to provide 100 parts of rubber;   wherein said halogenated rubber is selected from the group consisting of fluorocarbon elastomers and chlorosulfonated polyethylene; and,   wherein said rubber in said vulcanizable rubber composition is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber and rubber blends thereof and wherein said vulcanizable rubber composition contains at least 40 to 50 percent of natural rubber.   
     
     
       2. A metal-reinforced rubber ply to be used as an element in a manufactured rubber article, said ply having a rubber composition essentially free of transition metal adhesion promoting additives and a brass-plated element bonded thereto wherein said rubber composition is made by curing a composition comprising: at least about 10.0 parts by weight of a halogenated rubber; and   up to about 90.0 parts by weight of a vulcanizable rubber essentially free of other halogenated rubber;   wherein said halogenated rubber is selected from the group consisting of fluorocarbon elastomers and chlorosulfonated polyethylene; and,   wherein said rubber in said vulcanizable rubber composition is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber and rubber blends thereof and wherein said vulcanizable rubber composition contains at least 40 to 50 percent of natural rubber.   
     
     
       3. A method for improving metal adhesion and metal adhesion retention properties between a vulcanizable rubber composition, essentially free of transition metal adhesion promoting additives, and brass or brass-plated metallic reinforcing elements comprising the steps of: blending at least about 10.0 parts by weight of a halogenated rubber with up to about 90.0 parts by weight of a vulcanizable rubber essentially free of other halogenated rubber; and   curing said blend of rubbers with said brass or brass-plated metallic reinforcing elements embedded in said rubber composition;   wherein said halogenated rubber is selected from the group consisting of bromobutyl rubber, chlorobutyl rubber, fluorocarbon elastomer and chlorosulfonated polyethylene; and,   wherein said rubber in said vulcanizable rubber composition is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber and blends thereof and wherein said vulcanizable rubber composition contains at least 40 to 50 percent of natural rubber.   
     
     
       4. A method, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said rubber is natural rubber and said halogenated rubber is chlorobutyl rubber. 
     
     
       5. A method as set forth in claim 4, comprising from about 15.0 to 20.0 parts by weight of chlorobutyl rubber.